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West Virginia woman arrested after stolen rental car chase ends in Alleghany County

State police, who said drugs were a factor in the incident, disclosed the chase reached speeds as high as 122 mph

Sarah Michelle Cox (Virginia State Police)

ALLEGHANY COUNTY, Va. – A West Virginia woman is behind bars in Roanoke after police say she stole a car from a rental company Monday.

Virginia State Police received a call from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Jackson County, West Virginia, who reported a white Ford Mustang was stolen from their business. The vehicle was later tracked at the Jerry’s Run Rest Area on Interstate 64 in Virginia.

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State police in Salem sent a trooper to the rest area to locate the stolen car only to find a woman sitting in the driver’s seat.

The woman, later identified as 31-year-old Sarah Michelle Cox, of Inwood, West Virginia, locked the doors to the car and refused to roll the windows down for the trooper, according to police.

Authorities said she started the vehicle and drove away from the rest area, prompting a high-speed chase with the officer. We’re told the chase reached speeds as high as 122 mph.

While driving at a high rate of speed, Cox tried to exit Interstate 64 at Exit 10, which resulted in the Mustand crashing and overturning, according to state police.

Cox was taken to LewisGale Hospital in Alleghany County and was later flown to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained in the crash.

After being at the hospital since Monday, she was released on Friday.

Cox now faces the following charges:

  • Felony charge of eluding police
  • Driving under the influence of drugs
  • Stealing a vehicle

She is currently being held at Roanoke City Jail without bond.


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Nicole Del Rosario joined WSLS 10 in August 2020.

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